Warmongers, not peacemakers

The UK-Germany “defence” pact, the Trinity House Agreement, announced on 22 October is yet another step up in war preparations. It has nothing to do with peace, security and prosperity for the people of either country.

The pact extends military cooperation, such as extra joint exercises and basing German submarine-hunting planes in Scotland. It is only the latest warmongering act of this government.

‘The pact aims to align the defence industries of Britain and Germany.’

More significantly, the pact aims to align the defence industries of both countries. Presented as a boost for skilled jobs, the announcement promises manufacturing of armoured vehicles and advanced weapons development to be based in Britain.

The government claims that a new large calibre gun manufacturing facility in Sheffield (to supply German defence and engineering conglomerate Rheinmetall AG) would “support” over 400 jobs, using British steel.

Manufacturing

That would be the steel industry threatened by Labour’s net zero agenda and reliance on foreign manufacturing. It appears that the only interest this government has in manufacturing is for producing weapons.

The Labour government has pursued a course of war since it took office on 5 July. This did not come out of the blue. The Labour Party had long been preparing for making war, even before the election campaign.

“NATO first”

John Healey, then shadow defence secretary, set the stall out in February 2024. Outlining Labour’s defence plans, he said, “NATO first. Rebuilding relationships with European allies. Developing Indo- Pacific partnerships. Standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes to win.”

Timeline

Here is a timeline of warmongering by Keir Starmer and his ministers since the election.

• 8 July: within 48 hours of becoming defence secretary, Healey visits president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. He says, “I will ensure that we reinvigorate Britain’s support by stepping up supplies of vital military aid. Our commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people is absolute, as is our resolve to confront Russian aggression and pursue Putin for his war crimes.”

“Irreversible”

• 9 to 11 July: NATO Summit. Starmer lays out his “cast iron” commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product. Also signals that Ukraine could use Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles to strike military targets inside Russia (that was rapidly retracted – in part). Meets Zelensky and calls for an “irreversible” strategy for Ukraine to join NATO. Reaffirms the 10-year agreement signed on 12 January to support Ukraine “for as long as it needs”. Also meets German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

• 14 July: meets Olaf Scholz (again!) to discuss “foreign policy topics” and specifically negotiations on a defence pact (based on the Lancaster House treaties of Cameron and Sarkozy). Has meeting with chief executive of Rheinmetall AG, Armin Papperger, whose company is “working to modernise British army.” This results in the pact announced on 22 October.

• 19 July: Zelensky meets Starmer in Downing Street. (Having met in USA a week previously!)

• 28-29 August: Starmer visits French President Emmanuel Macron to “deepen bilateral relations particularly in defence and security”.

Missiles

• 13 September: Starmer meets US President Joe Biden at the White House to “encourage” Biden to allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory. Biden defers a decision to a UN meeting later in the month.

• 16 September: Starmer visits Italian Prime Minister Meloni, seeking her support for letting Ukraine use non-US long range missiles against Russia.

• 24-27 September: UN General Assembly. More discussion about using western missiles in Russia but still no formal sign off from Biden.

• 2 October: Starmer meets Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission President, in Belgium to discuss defence and “resetting of UK-EU relations”.

Nuclear deterrent

• 10 October: Zelensky visits Downing Street (again!) along with Mark Rutte the new head of NATO. They meet Starmer, Healy and foreign secretary David Lammy. Rutte praises UK as one of just three NATO countries investing 2 per cent of GDP in defence. Rutte announces the start of NATO’s annual nuclear exercise “Steadfast Noon” on 14 October and commends UK contribution to NATO’s nuclear deterrent.

• 17 October: Healy, along with other NATO defence ministers, meets the defence ministers of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the Republic of Korea for the first time, to “strengthen ties with partners in the Asia-Pacific”.

• 18 October: Starmer meets with Biden, Scholz and Macron in Berlin to reaffirm commitment to Ukraine (again) and events in the Middle East before going on to a meeting of the Ukraine Defence contact group at Ramstein Airbase.

• 22 October: pact with Germany announced.